a lcca convention memory maker - lionel collectors

THE LION ROARS FEBRUARY, 2010

Volume 39, No. 3 February, 2010

A LCCA Convention Memory Maker


Final Boarding Call

The Four Units of the Basic Set

The Four Add-on Units of the Extended Set

This re-make of the 1958 “Merchant’s Limited” mixed-consist train set is designed by LCCA and made by Lionel® exclusively for club members. It includes modern technology – TMCC™ and new, improved Magne-Traction™ – plus the benefits of contemporary manufacturing methods and details.

Both reefer cars rest on passenger-style, four-wheel trucks (not shown on these mock-up photos). The passenger cars have open windows in the vestibule doors. All cars have die-cast metal (not plastic) trucks with “fast-angle” metal wheels.

ORDER DEADLINE

Februa

ry 28, 2

010

Three Ways To Purchase the Burlington #216• Shop online at the LCCA STORE. Visit www.lionelcollectors.org

• Fill-in and mail the order form published in recent issues of The Lion Roars and the Interchange Track • Copy, fill-in, and then fax the order form to the LCCA Business Office: 866-541-0322.

The Burlington #216 Basic Set includes four units: a powered Alco A unit, a REA reefer, the “Clifton” vista dome car, and the “Mooseheart” observation car – like the original.

The Burlington #216 Extended Set includes eight units: the four Basic Set pieces plus four distinctive, never-before-produced items: a matching non-powered Alco A, the Western Pacific “Merchandise Dispatch” reefer, the baggage car, and the “Alfredo” diner.

Purchasers of the Extended Set will receive a $50 coupon that can be applied to a future purchase of Lionel products. See coupon for details.

Layout provided by Arkansas Traveler Hobbies in Bald Knob, AR


The Lion Roars (USPS 0011-994) and (ISSN No. 1079-0993) is published bimonthly except August by the Lionel Collectors Club of America, P.O. Box 4708, St. Paul, MN 55104-0708. Subscription rate of $15 per year is paid through membership dues. Periodical postage paid at St. Paul, MN 55164-5015 and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Lion Roars P.O. Box 4708 St. Paul, MN 55104-0708.

Lionel L.L.C. is a registered trademark. Lionel copyrighted materials, including Lenny the Lion (a company trademark), are used with its permission. The LCCA is not affiliated with Lionel or Lionel L.L.C. Opinions and comments made in by-lined columns in this publication do not necessarily reflect the official poli-cies of the Board of Directors or the views of officers and appointed officials;

Lionel® Collectors Club of America

Contacting the LCCA Business OfficeMembers can contact the Business Office for routine services through the club’s website at www.lionelcollectors.org, by e-mail at: [email protected], by fax at 866-541-0322, or by mail at: P.O. Box 4708, St. Paul, MN 55104-0708.

The Lion Roars Contents

Directors John Ellingson4100 Victoria StreetMinnetonka, MN [email protected] P. Miller300 Scheivert AvenueAston, PA [email protected] Richter2008 Paprika DriveOrlando, FL [email protected] Schmeelk15 Birchwood LaneHillsdale, NJ [email protected]

The LCCA is an Illinois not-for-profit corporation. Copyright© 2010, Lionel Collectors Club of America. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording for any purpose.

People to ContactBusiness Office - Their role is limited to routine services.Secretary - Inquiries about membership lapses and administrative support.Membership Chair - Joining LCCA and membership questions.Immediate Past President - Complaint against another member.President - Always available and as a last resort.

Business Office services are limited to providing or processing changes of address, changes of phone number, “make good” copies of The Lion Roars, applications for membership, replacement membership cards, reinstatements, death notices, Convention registration, and orders for Club collectibles.

Officers Al Kolis, PresidentMembership Chair4315 Saint Andrews Drive Howell, MI 48843-7469 [email protected] (Dick) H. Johnson, Immed. Past President8750 E. Kemper Road Cincinnati, OH 45249-2506 513-469-7774 [email protected] A. Fisher, President-elect1730 James RoadSt. Paul, MN [email protected] Calkins, Secretary 11300 Little Ridge CourtCheyenne, WY [email protected] Ellingson, Treasurer andConvention Registration Liaison4100 Victoria StreetMinnetonka, MN 55345-1963952-484-8061 or 952-935-1133 [email protected]

2010 Convention Registration Form ............................. GIFCBurlington #216 – “Last Chance to Order”...................... IFCThe President’s Report ......................................................... 2Legacy Building Set – “Triple Play”..................................... 3From Grand Opera to Great Trains ...................................... 4Fred Harvey Commissary Car .............................................. 7LCCA Product Development Shop ...................................... 8The Joy of Sharing ............................................................. 10From Dom’s Desk .............................................................. 11Toy Trunk Railroad ............................................................ 11Christmas in the Atrium ..................................................... 12Anniversary Sale — “40 Years, 15 Reasons”..................... 14Toy Trains in a Train Town ................................................ 16An Interview with Jerry Calabrese ..................................... 172010 Convention Info, Tours, and Schedule ...................... 20Lionel News & Views ........................................................ 25The Tinplate Cannonball .................................................... 29LCCA Members in Action ................................................. 32A Lionel Puzzlement ....................................................... IBCYWT — “A Tall Drink” ................................................. OBCDMTC Hotel Reservation Form ................................... GIBCWebsite Sneak Preview ............................................... GOBC

ON THE COVERUP Challenger 3985

It’s the largest operating steam locomotive in the world, and it will be up front for tour #1 of the LCCA 2010 Convention in Denver.

Challenger photograph via Flickr at yahoo.com

LCCA Website: www.lionelcollectors.orgAppointeesLarry A. BlackIT and Web Manager209 Denison WayFrankfort, KY [email protected] W. BradenEditor, eTrack10607 Serenity SoundMagnolia, TX [email protected] CaponiCoordinator, Junior Member Program610 Andrew Road Springfield, PA 19064-3816 [email protected] J. Caponi Manager, Product Development610 Andrew Road Springfield, PA 19064-3816 [email protected] FindleyChair, Constitution CommitteeChair, Finance Committee3414 Old Cantrell RoadLittle Rock, AR [email protected] A. Fisher Convention Manager1730 James RoadSt. Paul, MN [email protected] FoggConvention Manager13360 Ashleaf DriveDes Moines, IA [email protected] H. MottlerEditor, The Lion Roars22 Water Oak DriveConway, AR [email protected] Tribuzi Editor, Interchange Track7504 Zurich DrivePlano, TX [email protected]


The President’s Reportby Al KolisRM 15902

As we start the LCCA’s 40th anniversary year, I want to express my sincere appreciation to our founder Jim Gates, all our charter mem-bers, previous Boards of Directors, officers and appointed officials who established and sustained our Club. They have made this Club what it is today. In keeping with that tradition, the current volunteer Board of Directors and officers and appointed officials have been working very hard for you during 2009. I want to give my sincere thanks to all of them for their hard work and dedication to serv-ing the LCCA. I also want to thank each and every one of you for being a member of this great Club. You and our volunteer team are the reasons this Club is so suc-cessful! We collectively have accomplished a lot during this past year.

We continue to have the best publications in the train hobby – The Lion Roars and the Interchange Track. We provide a good balance with a wide range of editorial content for our members’ interests – postwar, prewar, modern, human interest, Convention coverage, LCCA-sponsored products, and news about the Club in general. Although the balance and emphasis may shift from issue to issue, we try to have something for everyone in each issue. Thank you to all of the talented volunteer authors that share their skill, ex-perience, and personal stories with us.

The e-Track and Interchange Track (IT) continue to benefit members that want to buy, sell, or trade trains. We are proceed-ing with the plan to make the mailing change from First Class to Periodical Class for the IT. We anticipate implementing this change in early 2010. Thank you to the IT team for your attention to detail and providing our members with an opportunity to buy, sell, and trade their trains.

If you haven’t been to www.lionelcollectors.org recently, I suggest you visit it now. Since the Sacramento Convention, we have posted a new item each week (on average) in the News and Newsy section of our website. Please spread the word and encourage fellow members, family members, friends, and guests to view our website. I am also working with a volunteer committee to investigate and develop in 2010 a proposal and plan to further improve our website.

We continue to have the best toy train convention on the planet! In 2009, we had a successful Convention in Sacramento, CA. We introduced the LCCA to the west coast where we have not previously been before. The members and visiting hobbyists in northern California had a great time. Everything I have heard has been positive commentary from our members. Congratulations to the entire Convention team.

Members are signing up rapidly for our upcoming 40th annual Convention in Denver, CO. We welcome you and your extended family members to participate in this special event. We have a lot of surprises in store for you. Tours are filling up fast, but it is not too late to sign up. Please talk to a member who has attended one

of our Conventions. I am certain they will recommend that you attend and participate. We do have FUN!

Our new Junior Membership program continues to grow. We now have about 100 JMs in our Club. I am certain this will continue to grow in 2010. Junior Member Coordinator Dominic

Caponi is working with the board and me to plan new activities and projects of interest to our JMs. Our club is the first

to have a Facebook page at http:www.facebook.com/grou.php?gid=117030301528&ref=ts to

reach out to our JMs and RMs. This Face-book site is another tool for communicating with our members and recruiting new members.

Our relationship with Lionel® has never been better. I recently met with Lionel’s CEO Jerry Calabrese, and he is committed to working with us on future projects. We will continue to work side

by side with Lionel at the World’s Greatest Hobby on Tour (WGHOT) events in 2010 at

Washington, DC, Long Beach, CA, and Denver, CO. This provides us with a great opportunity to

meet our members and recruit new members. If you are in the area, please stop by the LCCA booth at the WGHOT show in Long Beach or Denver and “talk trains” with the LCCA volun-teers and members of the Lionel team. We have also been able to provide our members with some great LCCA products and deals on Lionel train products in 2009.

As we approach Valentine’s Day, there’s no better way to celebrate it than to give your loved one a gift of a LCCA train item. As part of our 40th anniversary year in 2010, we will present a series of sales of Lionel products. The first offer is included in this issue of TLR. These great deals are one of the many benefits of being a member of the LCCA.

I have talked with several members who expressed a desire to purchase our Burlington #216 train set. Because of the current state of the economy, the demands of the holiday season, and budgets, we decided to extend the order deadline date for this train. In an ef-fort to give more members an opportunity to purchase this set, we have moved the order deadline date to February 28, 2010.

We are in the transition period with our new Business Office. They are staying on track, meeting our expectations, and continuing to move forward. They are doing a lot of things very well for the club. They are committed to serving the LCCA and having a long-term relationship with us. They are shipping a lot of LCCA products to members as I write this. The 2009 Convention Cars arrived in late December, and if you ordered one you should have received it by now.

I am looking forward to more success stories in 2010. I am proud of and excited about celebrating our Club’s 40th anniversary. We will continue to develop plans for a great celebration year. Please spread the good word about our Club. Invite interested hobbyists to our exciting 2010 Convention in Denver. If everyone would just get one new member to join the Club, we could double in size each year.

Again, thank you for all you do for the Club. Thank you for making the LCCA the best toy train club on the planet! Enjoy Valentine’s Day! I wish you a healthy, prosperous, and train-filled 40th LCCA anniversary celebration year!

Are we having fun yet? Remember Rule #1 – Let’s have fun!


Order Form May Be PhotocopiedSET OF THREE LEGACY BUILDINGS — LIMIT: FOUR SETS PER MEMBER

Once submitted, LCCA will consider this is a firm order and not refundable.

Name: ___________________________________________________________________ LCCA No.: __________________Shipping Address: _____________________________________________________________________________________City: ____________________________________________________________ State: ____ Zip + 4: ___________________Phone: (______) ______________________ e-mail: __________________________________________________________

DO THE MATH[ ] ____ set(s) of three Legacy buildings @ $99.95/set $___________ (Includes S&H via USPS to Continental USA)

[ ] Extended S&H to AK, HI, & Canada - add $5/set $___________

[ ] Extended S&H to foreign countries - add $10/set $___________

[ ] Minnesota residents: add 7.25% sales tax, $7.25/set $___________

Total (in U.S. funds) $___________

Mail this order form to the best toy train club on the planet:LCCA Business Office • Dept LBS/TLR-02-10 • P.O. Box 4708 • St. Paul, MN 55104-0708

To order online: www.lionelcollectors.org — at the main page, click on “LCCA Store”

[ ] Check this box if any part of your address is new.

PURCHASE METHOD[ ] My check is enclosed, made payable to “LCCA” with “LBS” on the memo line.[ ] Bill this purchase to my credit card account. No.: _______________________________________ Expiration: ____________ [ ] Discover [ ] MasterCard [ ] Visa Code: ________________

The 3 digits at the signature panel on back of your card

Signature: ________________________________________________________ By my signature, I authorize LCCA to charge my account for the amount shown according to the terms and conditions cited herein.

This set of three buildings was made to order for LCCA by Lionel® and named for the mythical town of LEGACY. The items are in stock, so there’s no waiting for delivery. All are ready to install on your layout. Lionel has ordered several sets for installation on their company layouts, and we take that as a compliment! They love them, and so will you!

Even during tight economic times it’s possible to grow your train collection with unique items that are affordable, distinctive, and fun! Populate the Amtrak® Passenger Shelter with commuters in waiting, place railroad workers around

the Switch Tower, and add figures in the vicinity of the Crossing Shanty to create realistic scenes that tell a story. It’s all in the details!

These utilitarian structures are easy to wire-up, and they light-up with a soft glow. This set of three buildings is the first of a series of planned future structures for the town of LEGACY. Let the town grow as your layout grows, espe-cially if you are building a layout in partnership with the Junior Member in your family.

Triple Play



by Bob Carter RM 6620Roger Farkash (RM 27269)

can’t remember when he didn’t love trains, but he will never forget where his love of trains crossed paths with his deep-seated love for Santa Fe, NM, and operas presented there by a renowned opera company.

That’s where he began his career after leaving college in the mid-70s with a degree in theatre arts. Although he thoroughly enjoyed building opera stage sets and railfanning in New Mexico, an unexpected turn along the way placed him in the middle of today’s model train environment. Today he remains in “show business” as a designer/builder of elaborate, highly detailed train layouts.

Resurrection and RebirthOne of the latest creations is the remodel

of 5x9-foot layout he produced for Lionel® several years ago. When the company de-cided to open a pop-up store in Manhattan at Rockefeller Center, it called upon Roger and his talented workers at T W Design (TWD) in Dallas to handle this job. Working within the parameters of space, time and budget, the folks at TWD began the transformation. This project provided a setting in which to apply their wide-ranging craftsmanship.

Using the 5x9-foot display as a foundation, they made it interactive with push buttons to start the trains and operate the accessories. Children could watch the trains in action and enjoy the excitement of making them perform by their com-

From Grand Opera to Great Trains

Photograph by Bob Carter


From Grand Opera to Great Trainsmands. Combining three loops of FasTrackTM, three Lionel trains, start buttons, a mountain, and full and complete scenery, the crew at TWD provided to Lionel a working piece of art. It always enchants kids (of all ages) with a traditional presentation of toy trains in a Christmastime setting.A Train for every Tree

Years ago, Lionel CEO Jerry Calabrese told Roger that he “envi-sioned every Christmas tree in the U.S. to once again have a toy train running beneath it.” With that little seed, Roger made sure that the Manhattan store included a Christmas tree on a pedestal with a Lionel G-gauge loop carrying a Polar Express train and a second train running on an elevated trestle and metal railing. So Jerry now has two trains run-ning beneath this archetype Christmas tree. By the way, the distinctive trestle railing developed by TWD for Lionel is available for purchase at the TWD website.

This superb train layout, the front window display, and the Lionel branding throughout the store explained the popularity of this new Lionel venture and caused traffic jams across from Radio City Music Hall during the holiday season. Watch the Holiday Video at the LCCA website of the New York City location and other significant holiday displays at various venues. Related to this good news, mass retail stores are now selling designated Lionel train starter sets.

The Lionel store is an extension of the Lionel image and a projec- tion of its 110-year heritage. The 30 Rock store provides a platform to

test the destination experience concept. It could be-come a year-round location and shopping experience like the American Girl Store and the Hard Rock Café.


who believe. It included elves waving at the train as it passed the station. The layout was designed for continuous opera-tion – three minutes on, one minute off. The train stopped in the tunnel to rest. This layout was a center of attraction in a shopping mall in the San Francisco area within its Christmas Gazebo that also includes a Santa photo opportunity.Follow the Track

The Opera House in Santa Fe was just a stopover on the track leading the way toward model trains and all the fun they bring to life. Roger is doing what a lot of us would love to do – getting paid to go to work and have fun creating mini-worlds to share with all who love playing with trains.

When I saw his smile as he talked about how fate brought him to this point, there was no expression of resig-nation; rather, a glow of happiness and a sense of confidence and pride in what he and his team have accomplished. To Roger Farkash, the Aria he hears today is the quilling wail of a Lionel steam locomotive whistle accompanied by the smell of smoke rhythmically puffing from the stack. If it’s a Santa Fe steamer, so much the sweeter.

Lionel store and layout photographs provided by T W Design

Editor’s Postscript: The Lionel company train layout cre-ated by TWD will be in operation during the LCCA 2010 Convention in Denver, CO.

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The store immerses shoppers in Lionel lore through strong graphics and encourages hands-on tactile experiences – it’s very OK to pick up an engine, touch it, and feel its heftiness. This is quite unlike shopping in big box stores where the trains are sealed in boxes on the shelves.Something Completely Different

If you received your Hammacher-Schlemmer cata-log, you may have noticed on page 66 a Genuine Lionel Store Display Diorama. This custom-designed item built to H-S specs is not available from any other retailer. It is Lionel-branded, includes Lionel products, and operates on a 4x8-foot loop with a figure-8 track plan plus a siding. This completely finished layout with scenery, trees, accessories, and ballasted FasTrack is play-ready. It’s another creation of the minds at TWD – hand made to order in the USA as a legacy piece that will be in the family for years – decades, probably. For those interested in a unique Lionel-branded product made in very limited quantities, this is for you! It will be delivered in a huge crate with four legs, eight bolts, and a tabletop with everything affixed. Attach the legs, plug it in, and you’ll be ready to run this one-of-a-kind Lionel product.North Pole Village

Rounding out the holiday season, Roger and the guys at TWD finished a 6x6-foot single loop, fully scenicked North Pole Village layout. The setting was Christmas Eve with Santa loading his sleigh and preparing for his annual circum-navigation of the globe for the benefit of good boys and girls

“Roger is doing what a lot of us would love to do – getting paid to go to work and have fun creating mini-worlds to

share with all who love playing with trains.”


Almost everyone in our Club has heard of the Fred Har-vey Girls. They probably know Fred Harvey ran the dining cars in the Santa Fe passenger trains – one of the most-manu-factured products by Lionel® since the 1948 apperance of the celebrated #2343 diesel train set.

Fred Harvey Girls worked in restaurants and hotels in cities served by the Santa Fe. These were white table-cloth restaurants known for good food and good service. Harvey Girls were a welcome addition to the western United States. Food service had been jobs for men but Fred Harvey wanted women and the women of the West were not what he had in mind. Us-ing advertisements in eastern newspapers, he recruited “Young women of good character, attractive and intelligent, 18 to 30. Harvey ‘girls’ were attired in black with white collars and aprons and wore white hair bows. They were paid $17.50 per month plus tips and room and board. Their quarters were presided over by a matron according to the terms of a one-year contract. If a Harvey girl married during that year, she gave up half her pay.

As in any restaurant chain, individual restaurants needed corporate supplies from one or more commissaries. I am interested in logistics on real railroads as well as on Lionel-oriented layouts, so I wondered how restaurants and hotels had their consumables replenished. Very little information about the commissary car is available, so please allow me to present how a fleet of commissary cars may have operated.

The dining cars may or may not have been replenished at Chicago, Kansas City, Los Angeles or San Francisco. We do know that with six 12-1 sleepers on a train, about 120 people might be fed three times a day. Dining cars, hotels, and restaurants used table clothes, napkins, plates, cups, glassware, silverware and serving ware and the restaurants also needed Harvey Girls uniforms. All such items wear out after repeated washings, tear, dent or break. Dining cars and restaurants used dry staples such as salt, pepper, sugar, flour, coffee, tea and rice. They needed fresh fruit and vegetables as well as a selection of meat, poultry, and fish for main courses and side dishes at breakfast.

Modern chain restaurants get supplies and food deliv-ered to them by refrigerated truck on a fixed schedule, some on a daily schedule. The trucks are domiciled at a distribu-

tion center which ships to stores generally a 250-mile radius.The Harvey Restaurants were not served by refrigerated

truck; they received their corporate provisions via Fred Har-vey commissary cars. Most dining cars would receive their provisions at a terminal city or en route. Other cars could receive theirs near the crossing point of the LA-KC main line. The limited space in a dining car provided cold storage for water, ice, and chilled food, as well as space for unrefrig-erated dry food, staples, and clean and used linens.

Commissary cars moved in Santa Fe trains at no charge to Fred Harvey. They were most likely compartmented so chilled meats, vegetables, and dry items could be trans-ported in one car. Replenishment orders were transmitted by

telegraph. Cars moved on fixed schedules so the restaurant manager knew when to expect supplies. The provisions would be unloaded by restaurant employees or dining car chefs and helpers. The cars could be partially unloaded at passenger stops and they could be switched to another pas-senger train or even a freight train. They could be spotted at the last hotel or restaurant on the line and picked up by a train going in the opposite direction. The empties could be moved in either freight or passenger consists.

Because they often were in passenger trains, the cars most likely were Pullman or Santa Fe green with gold letter-ing. These cars did not have to be purchased new and a sharp purchasing agent would be looking for good, used cars. One possibility would be acquiring a used dairy car which carried canned milk. If the dairy used corporate signs instead of painting their logo on the car sides, the dairy signs could be replaced with Fred Harvey signs. With that in mind, I used an O-gauge wood-sided reefer and converted it to a Fred Harvey commissary car by placing ‘metal’ signs on each side and putting it in our fast mail train.

In 1901, there were 47 Harvey House Restaurants and 15 Harvey Hotels. The Santa Fe ran 30 dining cars. The provisioning of them was a program unto itself. The com-missary people along with Santa Fe and General American Car Company engineers designed the “Harvey Refrigerator” class car. Eight 60,000-pound capacity cars were built in 1924 to supplement the fleet.

Photograph by John Mateyko

Fred Harvey Commissary Car

by John MateykoRM 23791


LCCA Product Development Shop

by Lou CaponiRM 8735

Deadline Is Imminent for the #216The clock is ticking on your opportunity to pur-

chase the Burlington #216 train set. LCCA’s offer of this set will be a much smaller production run than a Lionel® catalogued product. Most members realize that there is a bright side to a limited production run. Although the price will be a bit higher because the quantity is limited, the level of interest among col-lectors will remain high. In almost every case, our products and train sets are more limited than their “ancestors” of the 1950s and 60s.

LCCA extended the deadline because of current economic conditions. Also, we enabled members to place an order with a $125 reserve deposit and pay the balance due at the time of delivery. We didn’t require a 100% upfront payment. This extension may enable some members to place an order as their economic outlook begins to brighten.Improved Magne-Traction on the Burlington #216 ALCo

On December 30th the first report of testing the new Magne-TractionTM system in this locomotive showed a success-ful result; especially since all of the upgrades to the system have not been installed yet. A normal O27 single-motor, tin-framed Magne-Traction ALCo diesel locomotive is capable of pulling only four cars up a grade. The remake of the #216 pulled nine cars up a grade. We are now us-ing front-wheel drive! After all the changes have been installed, this locomotive could possibility pull 10 or 11 cars. That is one heck of an improvement!

This Burlington #216 set re-make is one of the rar-est Lionel train outfits ever made. As a “fringe benefit,” it will also be a great performer.About O27 Train Sets

Although the club considered developing two more O27 ALCo sets as follow-ups to the previously offered

New Haven #209 and the current Burlington #216, we have set those plans aside. As production costs for limited production runs at the factory in China increase, the price point for these sets becomes more difficult to keep within bounds. I’m hoping Lionel will act on its statement about bringing some toy train production back to the USA by 2011 or 2012. At that time we will revisit the pricing.2009 Convention Car

Those who ordered the “Ice Cold Express” 2009 Convention Car should have received it by now. If you have NOT received your ordered car, contact the business office immediately! This is by far one of the nicest Convention Cars produced to date by any model train organization. Watch for the “Ice Cold Express” train set in the upcoming Lionel 2010 Catalog. LCCA members who purchased the 2009 Convention Car will own a key piece in making this new Lionel catalogued set “100% complete!”Legacy Building Set – a Triple Play

The club is now offering the “triple play” set of Legacy buildings for sale in our publications and on our website at the LCCA Store. Lionel thought they were so good looking that they installed them on all of their promotional layouts. Pictures alone do not do these buildings justice!

People have asked me about the “Trainmaster” and “Legacy” wording on the switch tower. Imagine a train entering the emerging town of Legacy. When it passes the main command tower, the train or yard master gives

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If It’s Free It’s for MeLCCA Convention Managers John Fisher and Eric

Fogg recently asked me to consider making the previously proposed 2010 Convention On-site Car (a D&RGW Mint Car with a uranium load inside) the FREE Registration Gift Car for the LCCA 2010 Convention in Denver. I pondered – for about a nanosecond – and figured, why not?

This car will be produced as a limited edition and presented to the first 400 registrants of the Convention. To receive this free gift, attendees must pick it up in person and be registered at the host hotel.

Another car will be offered as the Convention On-site Car. I’ll announce it in the next issue of TLR, so stay tuned. You may know that last year’s Registration Gift Car (also a Mint Car with a gold nugget load inside and lettered for the Sacramento Mining Exchange) brought hundreds of dollars when a few were sold in the aftermarket on e-Bay or through our Interchange Track. About other Buildings

We are working with Lionel during the pre-production period to improve the printing on the Luxury Diner building. The Wonderful World of Lionel Train Shop has not yet been quoted by the factory in China because of the complexity of its graphics, roof-mounted locomotive, and special lighted sign. These new club-spon-sored buildings will be worth the wait!A Helping Hand

Your club is sensitive to the current economic climate and has made adjustments to its product offers and pricing. By offering re-

duced prices on Lionel products, providing payment terms, and extending order deadlines, we are helping members enjoy our hobby while economic times are difficult.

Convention Car images provided by Lionel, LLC

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the engineer his orders – Trainmaster, get it? The train passes the crossing shanty on its way to the Legacy passenger shelter.

I mentioned in previous articles that Lionel will make a series of buildings for use in the new town of Legacy; perhaps intended as a real estate development near Lionelville! A multi-story Legacy building will be presented in the new Lionel 2010 Catalog, so the set of three LCCA Legacy buildings will soon have good company. Don’t hesitate; order your triple play today!Forty Years Young

Your club is 40 years old this year and is in better shape than it’s ever been. During the past 20 years we haven’t imposed a dues increase – I’ll tell you why. Our members are loyal hobbyists who support the club, continually purchase club-sponsored products, and participate in our annual Conventions. LCCA-ers enjoy luxuries most other clubs can only dream of.

Beginning with this issue of TLR and continuing throughout this anniversary year, we’ll celebrate our history and make some history with specific Lionel products offered at low prices – well below list prices! Refer to the first offer in this series on pages 14 & 15. Direct dealers can’t buy this merchandise at these prices. Watch for subsequent 40th anniversary ads in club publications, on our website, and in the April is-sue of O Gauge Railroading.About the 2010 Convention Car

The Union Pacific Cylindrical Hopper car with U.S. flag décor will be the 2010 Convention Car as shown here. The final price has not yet been determined by Lionel, but we will publish an order form for it as soon as we know the cost. As is customary, delivery of this car will be in late December.


My interest in trains started when I was a young boy in the 1960s. I heard the sounds of train whistles from the val-ley at nighttime, and I thought they were steam locomotives. It turned out they were sirens from Republic Steel Corpora-tion, a former Cleveland-based steel mill. Today, I have 10 Republic Steel Lionel gondolas on my layout as a reminder of that experience.Starting with HO

My interest in toy trains started when I was about 10 years old. For a year, I begged my mother and father to buy me a train set for Christmas or my birthday. My father surprised me with an AHM HO-scale train set. He helped me set up the 4x8-foot board with grass cloth and coached me how to configure the track.

After two years, I lost interest in HO trains and purchased a large American Flyer® collection for about $40 with my paper route money and another for $20 during the early 70s. I quickly learned that Lionel® was more reliable than Flyer, so I sold most of the AF collection at toy train swap meets. During the early 80s, I began to acquire Lionel O-gauge trains and Plasticville® buildings. I quickly learned how to repair some mechanisms.Switching to O-gauge Trains

At age 13, I purchased my first Lionel train set with $125 in paper route tips at Christmas time. It was a beauti-ful #224 steam engine with two blue Pullman Cars and an Observation Car. It became an obsession. I pedaled to as many area garage sales as my five-speed spider bike would take me. The following summer, I found a #1516 switcher with a broken marker light. I repaired it (34 years later) with a replacement part acquired from a local Lionel parts dealer. During the 1980s I considered Lionel trains an enjoyable hobby and an investment — like the ad slogan says, “An Investment in Happiness.”Layout Scenes Based on Real Life

I have built many different layouts. All are based on memories I gathered along life’s way and from places I visited. For example:• Plasticville's "House under Construction" reminded me that I worked at a construction site while in my teens• Two scratch-built 1:48 scale junk yards; I loved looking for used auto parts for my 1962 Ford Falcon which I restored with help from my friends

• Another layout had a 1:48 scale Wyler's billboard because my father sold their products. I had a Wyler's lemonade stand as a child, and the workers from the Republic Steel plant would stop and buy my lemonade.• I also have an infatuation about cranes; they are present on all of my layouts.The Dawn Patrol

During the late 1980s and 90s, I worked a second shift job for seven years at a factory in Cleveland. I would come home from work at 11:30 p.m. and immediately start work-ing on my Lionel layout. I painted scale figures and many other items. I was so excited about my repairs and projects that I would sometimes forget about eating. Luckily there was a pizza shop across from my apartment that stayed open until 3 a.m. every night. This activity continued for many years. I had such a “rush” when I successfully repaired a prewar accessory or a locomotive or painted a tinplate item

and made it look better than the original. Sometimes I would have doubts if I could repair something, but my persever-ance would prevail, and I would ultimately finish a work of art.Gabriel – a Hobbyist in the Making

As time passed, the joy of collecting, restoring, and working on the layout seemed to fade. I sensed I needed another dimension to make me spiritu-

ally happy. This past year, my sister’s little boy Gabriel (now four years old), acquired a fantastic interest in trains. He loves seeing Uncle Dave’s trains and enjoys my company, so my sister arranges for me babysit him while she is working.

My latest experi-ence with Gabriel was challenging because he wanted to build a double-decker log cabin. The project forced me to use my thinking cap. He pointed to the picture on the 1960s-era Lincoln Log® tube box and said, “I want this one!” We set up the Lionel New York Central F-3 with some rolling stock. He was able to help with the log cabin and put some of the track together. At Thanksgiving time, I challenged him to put a Lionel G-scale Christmas car on the track all by himself for the first time, and he did it!

Because of Gabriel, my interest in Lionel trains has increased to the level of child-like excitement. My personal interest has increased, and I am again working on many repair projects that were collecting dust on shelves for years. The boy’s spirit has rubbed off on his uncle in a very happy way!

Photographs provided by David Starre

The Joy of Sharingby David M. StarreRM 29131


From Dom’s Deskby Dominic CaponiRM 12586Coordinator, JM Program

I hope the recent holiday season was good for your friends and families and also for your train collections. This upcoming year marks the 40th anniversary of the LCCA. There will be plenty of activities and contests to celebrate this important milestone.

I’m also happy to report that I at-tended the World’s Greatest Hobby On Tour show near Washington, DC, at the end of January. I partici-pated in this event as a representative of the LCCA and helped recruit new Junior Members for the best toy train club on the planet!

No good deed should go unnoticed. In this case, no good LCCA member should go unrecognized for his or her kindness. That’s why I’m sharing this touching note I recently received from a Junior Member.

I thought this was a great story about kindness towards others and, more impor-tantly, to a fellow Club

member. I’m very fortunate to be a part of an organization that includes such wonderful people. I would also like to thank Daryl Ryder for showing such generosity towards Riley and giving him a proper introduction into the Club. I hope Riley has the opportunity to “pay it forward” to a future Junior Member some day and take him or her under his wing.

I’m currently working with Al Kolis and the Board of Directors to ensure the 2010 Convention in Denver is as much fun as possible for Junior Members. There are plenty of events and surprises planned, and I will announce them as

we approach the Convention. Periodically check the LCCA website www.lionelcollectors.org along with our Facebook page for the latest updates about activities.

I took pictures and video at the World’s Greatest Hobby On Tour show and plan to upload them to our site so that other members can also enjoy the fun.

I’m more than happy to accept mem-bers’ ideas for the JM program. I can be reached at [email protected]. Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.

by Erik SansomToy Trunk Railroad

Good Friends

by Riley Gilbertson JM 29023

Back in February I got a member-

ship for the LCCA. In the March

Interchange Track, I went after an ad

for #1024 switches, the early version

with jumper wires, for $3 (#26350).

In the back of the IT was the name

of Daryl Ryder. I know him very well

now. He gave me eight #1024 switch-

es, a rotary beacon, and a Baby Ruth

boxcar! If there are any new mem-

bers out there, someone will take you

under their wing. Thank you Daryl

Ryder, LCCA, and Lionel.


A P H O T O E S S A Y

by Bob Carter RM 6620Several years ago when the

Gaylord Texan Hotel in Grapevine, TX, sought a train exhibit as an op-erating display for their annual Lone Star Christmas event, they probably couldn’t have foreseen the result – a holiday destination attraction with lots of “Wow!” power.

Mike McLintock (RM 27393), President of the Lone Star Hi-Rail-ers, and its members – many of whom are also LCCAers – em-braced the concept and, as they say, “The rest is history.” This photo essay shows their achievement – a memory-making model railroad that kids (of all ages) may remember for a lifetime.

Photographs by Bob Carter

A D&H diesel heads homeward and passes a Christmas tree sales lot. Realistic scenes like this adorn the layout and each vignette tells a story.

The North Pole Central passes the Hogwart’s Express train. One can wonder if Harry Potter and his friends are aboard.

The holiday layout in the fully-decked-out atrium of the hotel is an amazing example of creativity at Christmas with toy trains.


Answers to A Lionel Puzzlement1. D, 2. K, 3. I, 4. C, 5. H, 6. F, 7. L, 8. G, 9. M, 10. A, 11. O, 12. N, 13. E, 14. B, 15. J.

Santa pulls a “Coke Express” along the route for refreshment.

Roger Farkash (L) applies snow to the layout with tips from George Watson.

Patty Gilbert fluffs up the snow around a holiday tree on the layout.

The lighting display in the atrium contains 1.5 million bulbs – quite a “light show” for the holidays!

A Christmas freight pulled by a Milwaukee Road F-3 rumbles past the local Christmas tree lot.


15 Ways to Celebrate Our 40th Birthday

Forty isn’t old – when you’re having fun! This initial sale is one of a series of offerings planned for 2010 to commemorate the 40th anniversary year of the Lionel Collectors Club of America. We are an all-volun-teer group of men, women, and children from all around our country who have enjoyed Lionel® trains and the toy train hobby since 1970. During our year-long celebration, the LCCA invites you to save 40 to 50 percent or more on the purchase of

selected Lionel products. Your total savings offset LCCA membership dues, and also save money while expanding your collection! This special deal is one of the many benefits of membership in the club. Use them as gifts to the Junior Engineers in your family or add them to your toy train empire. LCCA reserves the right to limit quantities of each item ordered based on availability. Order the items you want within the limits cited here.

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Holiday RR Snowplow – 6-28427 “Diesel” – 6-28883 Crossing Gateman – 6-14267 Engineer Hat – 7-11096LCCA price $99.95 – Save $110.04 LCCA price $49.00 – Save $70.99 LCCA price $22.00 – Save $58.00 LCCA price $6.95 – Save $8.04 List price: $209.99 List price: $119.99 List price: $80.00 List price: $14.99

2 3 4

Koppers Gondola – 6-17475 Lionel Lines 4-4-2 Locomotive & Tender – 6-38664 CP Rail High Cube – 6-25064 LCCA price $33.50 – Save $31.49 LCCA price $59.50 – Save $50.50 LCCA price $19.00 – Save $20.99 List price: $64.99 List price: $110.00 List price: $39.99

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IMCO Hopper – 6-27109 Pepper Packing Reefer – 6-27307 PRR Diner – 6-35167 PRR Coach – 6-35168LCCA price $28.50 – Save $31.49 LCCA price $29.00 – Save $35.99 LCCA price $23.25 – Save $28.74 LCCA price $24.99 – Save $27.00 List price: $59.99 List price: $64.99 List price: $51.99 List price: $51.99

Dubuque Reefer – 6-27358 PRR Barrel Ramp Car – 6-36889 Western Dairy Reefer (3), – 6-21857 Erie Lighted Caboose – 6-36626LCCA price $32.50 – Save $32.49 LCCA price $21.50 – Save $24.49 LCCA price $79.95 – Save $70.05 LCCA price $22.75 – Save $24.24 List price: $64.99 List price: $45.99 List price: $150.00 List price: $46.99

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15 Ways to Celebrate Our 40th Birthday The Best Toy Train Club on the Pla

net!

Lio

nel Collectors Club of AmericaYearsof Fun

40

CELEBRATE AND SAVEPURCHASE PROCESSThe opportunity to buy these items is limited to LCCA members only.

CHOOSE YOUR ITEMS Description LCCA Price Limits My Quantity Amount 1. Holiday RR Snowplow $99.95 NONE ______ $ _______

2. “Diesel” $49.00 NONE ______ $ _______3. Crossing Gateman $22.00 NONE ______ $ _______4. Engineer Hat $ 6.95 NONE ______ $ _______5. Koppers Gondola $33.50 6 ______ $ _______6. Lionel Lines 4-4-2 Steamer $59.50 6 ______ $ _______7. CP Rail High Cube Boxcar $19.00 4 ______ $ _______8. IMCO Cylindrical Hopper $28.50 6 ______ $ _______9. Pepper Packing Reefer $29.00 6 _____ $ _______10. PRR Diner $23.25 6 ______ $ _______11. PRR Coach $24.99 1 ______ $ _______12. Dubuque Reefer $32.50 6 ______ $ _______13. PRR Barrel Ramp Car $21.50 4 ______ $ _______14. Western Dairy Reefer, set of 3 $79.95 4 ______ $ _______15. Erie Lighted Caboose $22.75 4 ______ $ _______

DO THE MATH Sub-total for Products $ _______MN residents, add 7.25% sales tax $ _______Within Con’t USA, add S&H as indicated below: For orders up to $99.99, add $10; for orders of $100 to $299.99, add $15. $ _______ Free S&H on orders of $300 or more. NOTE: S&H to AK, HI, and foreign countries, add $15. $ _______

Grand Total (in U.S. funds): $ ______

SEND YOUR PAYMENT [ ] My check or money order for the total amount of my order is enclosed and

made payable to “LCCA” with “40A” written on the memo line. [ ] Charge the total amount of my order to my credit card.

Credit Card Account No.: __________________________________________________________ Exp. ____________[ ] Discover [ ] MasterCard [ ] Visa Code: _______ (The three digits on the back of your card) Signature: ____________________________________________________________________________________ By my signature, I authorize LCCA to charge my account for the amount due according to the terms and conditions cited herein.

Name: _______________________________________________________________ LCCA NUMBER: ____________Shipping Address: ________________________________________________________________________________City: ______________________________________________________ State: ______ Zip + 4: ___________________Phone: ( ) _____________________ e-mail:________________________________________________________

You may photocopy this order form and mail it to the best toy train club on the planet:LCCA Business Office • Dept 40A/TLR-02-10 • P.O. Box 4708 • St. Paul, MN 55104-0708

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Editor’s Note: When LCCAers get involved in local community events, they become ambassadors for the train hobby and our Club. Send your report of train-related community service activities to the Editor for consideration for publication in TLR or at our website.

Like most LCCA members, I had trains as a kid. In my early teens I boxed them up and “put away childish things.” Years later in 1976, my girl friend (later my wife) gave me a Lionel® Northern Pacific Service Station Set as a Christ-mas gift. She picked up an LCCA membership application at the hobby shop, and I have continuously maintained my membership in the Club. We moved westward from The Big City and settled in a town in northwestern Illinois. Through my involvement with the local Chamber of Commerce, local folks learned about my interest in trains, and that awareness opened an opportunity to share the fun of this hobby with others – lots of others.Three Good Reasons for a Festival

Four years ago, the town of Geneseo, Illinois, estab-lished a mid-September weekend festival entitled “Trains, Planes, and Automobiles.” The idea emerged from a local car club that wanted to present a car show. A nearby airport was the home base of some Stearman bi-planes, and the owners of the planes became involved too. There is some history in this community with trains, so the concept of this annual event evolved and included its links to railroad history. The town was a stop on the former Rock Island route from Rock Island, Illinois, to Chicago. I was fortunate to have been aboard one of the last passenger trains out of Rock Island to Chicago in 1978.

Sharing the HobbyThe fourth annual festival in mid-September 2009

attracted lots of participants and visitors. The car club reg-istered about 260 cars, and the airplane group logged about 60 planes at the airport during a weekend fly-in. Local train hobbyists set up displays and floor layouts in a former furni-ture store building downtown; photo 1 shows our group. We

installed three ovals in the front windows of the store with three trains running – a Blue Comet set, an Amtrak passenger train, and a C&O train. One hobby-ist set up a 12x16-foot O-gauge modular layout with operating accessories. I set up a static display of Rock Island model trains and exhibited some RI train memorabilia and collect-ible paper: a RI stock certificate, RI pictures and calendars, and RI literature. Photo 2 shows a grandfather and his grand-son who dropped by to view the exhibit.Geneseo Christmas Walk

The presentation of the train group was well received by the local Chamber of Commerce. As a result, we were invited to be a part of the Geneseo 2009 Christmas Walk event. We gladly accepted the invitation and became a part of this an-nual festive event as one our group offered to display his G-gauge trains in a holiday set-ting.

Our space al-location for the Christmas Walk was the front display window of a down-town furniture store. The owner of the store liked the trains and sensed that visitor interest in the train might “rub off” on his business. He asked if we would keep the display in operation during the entire holiday season – late November through late December – which was beyond the timeframe of the Christmas Walk. We couldn’t say “no” to that, and the trains remained in operation “under glass” for all to enjoy as a holiday attraction. See photo 3.

The local newspaper, Dispatch Argus, published a special section that contained this description: “Popular attractions will continue to be part of Christmas Walk … including a model train display in the former Klavohn Furni-ture building on State Street.”

We expect to be invited to return in 2010 to the event that started the wheels rolling – the “Trains, Planes, and Automobiles” show in our town. We want our small group to grow and interest in the train hobby to increase.

Photographs by Mike Gawrysiak

Toy Trains in a Train Town

by Mike GawrysiakRM 4525

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An Interview with Jerry CalabreseConducted by Al Kolis RM 15902 and Ed Richter RM 13075

Joshua Lionel Cowen and all the people around him who fol-lowed him, had the same vision. They wanted to create the most realistic experience possible. To literally put the opera-tor in the train. They didn’t have the technology to do so.

We’re approaching that. The Vision Line products create as close to being in the train experience as is humanly pos-sible to do at this time in our scientific history. And we hope to keep going with it.LCCA: Describe the Lionel store in NYC.

Jerry: It came about because our goal since we came on the scene at the end of 2004 was not only to make great hobby product for people that knew about Lionel and model railroading, but also for people that had yet to see it and fall in love with it. The hobby world has changed since the 1940s and ‘50s. Even in the early ‘60s you could go to any major department store and see trains running, have the experience, and become “baptized” in trains.

When that stopped, the next generation of people ceased to enter the hobby. It’s our job to bring the brand back and present it to pop culture. We’re not overly modest about it. We are probably the only model train company that can do this because of our name. So we did the exhibits at Grand Central Terminal. We did the Santa Land at Macy’s. We did the World’s Greatest Hobby shows. We’ve gotten into major retail outlets like Target and Walmart and JCPenney with major in-store displays – not just a box on a shelf. All with one thing in mind, to put the product in front of people, let them see it, feel it, experience it, and become train fans.

This store is the next step forward – like American Girl stores. For girls and mothers that concept is a tremendous experience of bonding, being together, participating in some-thing that is wholesome, good, and even educational. We feel that Lionel has the opportunity to be like that for boys and fathers.

Our company is about adventure. What hooks people on Lionel trains is the adventure; The Wild West, World War I, the logging set, etc. It is a story that depicts adventure and empowers kids to feel that they’re doing something worth-while, constructive, and entertaining as a lifelong activity. This store could be the harbinger of a series of stores that wouldn’t be intended to be great retail business, but places where people could discover what we feel is good about Lionel. I think there’s no better way to do it than in this kind of environment.

Editor’s Note: During this past holiday season, President Al Kolis and Director Ed Richter videotaped an exclusive interview with Lionel’s CEO Jerry Calabrese in the new Lionel holiday season temporary store in New York City. To view portions of the acutal videotaped interview, go to the What’s News and Newsy section of the LCCA website at www.lionelcollectors.org. LCCA: What’s going on in the train world?

Jerry: That’s a pretty big world. Let’s take it in pieces. On the hobby side, we feel really good about what’s going on. There’s everything from the high-end items to the prod-ucts we’re placing in this store [in New York City] and other stores like it around the country for our mass retail program.

The Vision LineTM is the best stuff that’s ever been done. That’s a bold statement. I don’t mean by Lionel®, I mean ever been done. It’s the coming together of the consis-tency and robustness of TMCCTM system with the LegacyTM features that have been added for a whole other dimension of realistic play and things you can now do with your trains. More importantly, the platform is available for many more things that can be done in the future for a more realistic and enjoyable experience – the quilling whistle, the train brake, the throttle, the really cool features of the air whistle and the steam chest blow down.

So on the hobby side, we feel really good and really strong. That’s a big part of it for us as you know. On the mass side, the pop cultural side, we’re standing in the middle of our commitment to reach more people and show trains to more people. In this store, you’ll find any number of kids with their faces pressed up against the glass, standing in front of the trains, and falling in love with trains the way every hobbyist did at one point. So we feel good about that.

Lionel is now in major stores: Target, JCPenney, Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Hobby Lobby. We’ve never had more exposure, not ever, not in the last half cen-tury. We feel that that also helps the hobby. So we feel good on both sides of our business.

LCCA: Define the Vision Line of Lionel trains.Jerry: The Vision Line is for us what it says – it’s our

vision of what we want Lionel trains to be. From the very beginning with the very first model train, our goal was to create an experience that was as realistic as possible. Tools were limited, but the vision wasn’t. I’m sure that guys like


LCCA: What are your thoughts about the LCCA Junior Membership program?

Jerry: Everything we do in pop culture, whether it’s a program in Macy’s, Walmart, Target, JCPenney or anything like that is a way to let kids go down that path. We feel that the more we do that, the more valuable a partner we can be for your junior membership program by exposing more people to it.

Just so you know, four or five hundred thousand people will buy Lionel products of some kind this year at Christmas time. My goal is that in the future every one of our products sold will include an invitation to participate in the Junior Membership program.

LCCA: Lionel has gone “high tech,” Can you define how?

Jerry: High tech is an interesting concept because technology has to be highly accessible at the same time. If it’s not, it’s just an esoteric exercise in how smart can I make myself look. So when we design our systems now, the first question is, “What’s it going to do?”

Don’t tell me about how it’s going to interact with this chip or that board. Tell me what somebody’s going to be able to do with that feature, how that will add to their excitement, enjoyment, and desire to be involved with this hobby for the rest of their lives.

I feel that the real dividend of the Vision program and the Legacy program is that the features we’re developing now are adaptable to train sets. They’re adaptable to a $60 play set. They’re adaptable to an O-gauge starter set. The technology is the bait, so kids can discover and use all the skills they have. God knows we don’t have it at our age. But they do, and they are very compatible with the features we have in our trains. It’s very enjoyable. For me, high tech is not just for the high-end user, for the $2,000 Vision line en-gine, it is evident right down to a starter set. Kids will have more of a reason to participate.

LCCA: Tell us the Warren Buffet story.Jerry: Recently, when I read about Warren Buffet

buying the BNSF, the story was very cute. He was joking when he said it, but he said he bought the railroad because when he was a kid he didn’t have a train set. So I sent him a train set with a note that said, “Gee, if you’d only told us, we could have saved you a few bucks.” He paid $26.3 billion for BNSF, and I said we could have hooked him up with a train for quite a bit less.

He was kind enough to immediately respond to me, and it was one of the nicest letters I’ve ever received. But the part that’s important to what we’re talking about is – he said he had a little O27 set as a kid. He was very knowledgeable about model trains. He told me the engines he bought since then and how fascinated he was with Lionel.

But most of all he said that when he was 10 years old his father took him to New York. The only things he wanted to see was the Stock Exchange, and we know what happened with that; visit a famous coin and stamp company, and go to the Lionel showroom. He told me the exact address of where it was because he remembered it from when he was a ten-year-old boy.

Lionel made that impression on Warren Buffet because he had the opportunity to see our product as it is meant to be seen. It left a lifelong impression on him. Our job is to pres-ent that kind of opportunity to all kids. Many times when I’m talking with LCCA club members or other train enthusiasts, they tell me with tears in their eyes about their first trip to our showroom.

These stories will be retold at the 60 exhibitions where Lionel will have a presence this year. The thing we do every year at Grand Central, Macy’s Santa Land, this store and others like it is an attempt to put that possibility back into the lives of kids.

LCCA: Would you share your thoughts on Lionel’s media coverage?

Jerry: We’re really fortunate that we’re a media mag-net. We don’t even try very hard and yet we appeared on the Today Show on NBC. Last year was the first year that they did that, and we set up a train layout outdoors. It was fasci-nating to see it because what was planned as maybe a 40- to 60-second segment turned into an eight-minute discovery. Everybody on the crew, the newscasters, the weatherman, all got together to look at the trains and said, “Oh my God. Look at this! They still exist.” And they finally had to say, “Enough of this. We have to do the weather.”

The same thing happened this year. That tells me a lot of things. One, I’m very happy for the exposure, and two, we have maintained the ability for 110 years to captivate people; whether they’re eight years old or 80 years old and everybody in between. Our job is to put our product in front of people.

At the end of 2004, when I came to the company and looked around, I didn’t see us in Christmas. I said this is

“But at the end of the day, our goal is to bring some form of manufacturing of our products back to the states.”


clearly something we have to work on. So this year, as you pointed out, we’re on the Today Show, in every newspaper in the country from the Wall Street Journal to the New York Daily News, on the Don Imus Show, and on WPIX – a major station here in metro New York. Everyone does stories on Lionel, including MSNBC, because we’re a feel-good story. We make things that make people happy.

Somebody was arguing with me about the brand power of Lionel, and they said, “Oh there’s lots of brands that have 100 years of history.” And I said, “Sure, there’s stomach medicines that have 100 years in our collective memory, but you use it when it hurts. Ours feels good in a great way.” It’s about family. It’s about a better vision of ourselves, our country, and our families than we feel these days. I feel good about it. Not just that we’re out there in the media. We’re in the news and making good news, and there’s not much of that around.

LCCA: Where do you see the LCCA and Lionel partnership going?

Jerry: The LCCA is literally the backbone of our company. If you distill over 100 years everybody that loved Lionel and had positive experiences with it and wanted to be involved with it, that’s the LCCA. I mean that.

Because your members love Lionel, you have opinions about it. We don’t always agree, and we may have some spirited debates – as any family would. But it is a family dis-cussion. When I go to a LCCA Convention, it’s like visiting my family. Sometimes you hear things; but it’s mostly over-whelmingly positive, constructive input. That’s a wonderful thing. I couldn’t ask for anything better than that.

LCCA: Where do you see Lionel in five years?Jerry: I think the future has very few limits. Our

initiatives on the media side are the next step in this retail exposure you see. We’re working with CAA, the large and famous entertainment talent agency. I hope to see a Christ-mas movie or two by then – a large scale, big feature film. I hope to see more stuff on TV. I hope to see things like our direct-to-DVD Return to Lionelville. We need to do more of that. We will be pointing the way for more people to enter our hobby.

I think the hobby itself will be stronger. We’ll continue with our tech program to create better and more playful products. Our consumer program will get more people into the hobby and will be in fruition in the media, which I be-lieve drives everything.

LCCA: What are your thoughts on the possibility of bringing manufacturing back to the United States?

Jerry: This is obviously the topic that everybody wants to hear about. We’re so ready as a nation for some good news about a revival of our own sense of self worth and ability to do things ourselves. I’m not disparaging our Asian manufacturing partners. They’ve done a great job. But at the end of the day, our goal is to bring some form of manufactur-ing of our products back to the states.

The first time I mentioned this at the LCCA Convention in Buffalo I received a standing ovation, which surprised me greatly. We’ve been working with the city of Newark, which of course is the birthplace of our company. We’re thinking that during this coming year we will make an announcement for possibly one or two sets that will be fully assembled or significantly manufactured here in the states. We think that’s important. It’s a small step, but it is a step in the right direc-tion.

LCCA: Is there anything you want to say to the LCCA members?

Jerry: You know I get to do a lot of this. By far the most fulfilling communication that I get to do is between Lionel and the LCCA. When I say that you guys are literally an appendage of Lionel, I don’t mean that in a bad way. I mean you’re the people we come to first. We ask you what you think. We work with you the most fully because you are literally part of the community of Lionel as are we. So it’s always our pleasure to see you guys, talk to you, and it’s always a valuable exchange for us.

Photograph provided by Lionel, LLC

“But at the end of the day, our goal is to bring some form of manufacturing of our products back to the states.”


by Eric Fogg RM 12768and John Fisher RM 6541

The year was 1970. Richard Nixon was president. Gas was selling for 36 cents a gallon, while a first class postage stamp cost 6 cents. This year would see The Beatles disband, Boeing’s 747 go into commercial airline service, and the first celebration of Earth Day.

At about the same time Jim Gates (CM #1) was running small ads in hobby magazines hoping to encourage people to join a new toy train Club he was starting. One of the benefits would be an annual Convention, with the first one slated for Des Moines in the last full week of July.

This summer’s Convention is shaping up to be a celebration truly worthy of a 40-year-old train Club. And you couldn’t pick a more railroad-friendly city than Denver for a party like this.

The FamilySince the Club began, the fam-

ily has been a key component in all it does, especially when it comes to the annual Convention. For many, this week in July has always been set aside as the family vacation. Once again this year extended fam-ily members are welcome to attend all Convention events as long as they are registered on the same form as the member.

And don’t forget the people. Those great LCCA members are the real reason we do all this. Some friends only see each other once a year at this Convention. Not bringing any friends? Don’t worry. You’ll leave with a whole new set.

The ToursWe suggest you come for a

full week, starting with the UP Steam Excursion on “Convention Monday.” Our trip that day will be thanks to the oldest corporate steam-railroading program in the nation. And, while we can’t make

We’ve Come a Long Way since Then

40th Annual Convention Denver, CO 2010

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any guar-antees, if everything goes right, our private excursion train should be pulled by UP 3985 – The Challenger – the largest operating steam locomotive in the world. People literally come from all over the globe just for an opportunity to see and ride behind this engine.

There’ll be more trains to ride – Georgetown Loop, Leadville, Denver light rail, and Royal Gorge. There’ll be plenty to see – Colorado Railroad Museum, Coors Brewery, Red Rocks State Park, and the Lebanon Silver Mine. And even more to experience – Cheyenne Frontier Days, Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, and the Denver Mint. The Hotel

Now would also be an excellent time to reserve your room at the family-friendly, recently renovated Marriott Denver Tech Center Hotel. This property is perfectly suited for our 40th birthday bash with plenty to discover including:• The incredible LCCA store (just wait till you see this year's very special offerings)• The eye-catching Lionel train layout and display shown during our 2009 Convention in Sacramento (you won’t believe the great location for this attention magnet!)• A hi-rail layout built by some Colorado LCCA members• The LCCA Train Show on Friday and Saturday in the fully carpeted, well-lit Rocky Mountain Center • And of course, a Get Acquainted Party and Banquet as only the best toy train club on the planet can deliver.There’s More

The fun and surprises begin when you arrive at LCCA Registration and will continue throughout your stay. For starters, you’ll receive a “timely” free gift, complements of the Hyatt Regency DFW in Dallas (next year’s Con-vention site). And then there’s the wildly popular (and free) Registration Gift, available to the first 400 hundred who register for the Convention and stay at the Marriott (Denver area LCCA members are exempt). If you liked the Sacramento Mint Car, you’ll love the car you’ll get in Denver. (Think nuclear – see page 9021).

Rooms and tours are going quickly and we don’t want you to be disappointed. All the information, reg-istration forms, and details you need are on our website – www.lionelcollectors.org – and in this issue of The Lion Roars. Register today! Don’t miss the opportunity to not only see and experience history, but to be a part of toy train history.


We’ll also visit the equally famous Red Rocks State Park, one of Colorado’s most photographed scenic spots. The site of many con-certs and musical events, it’ll be a delight for camera buffs. Plan on a great lunch at the Ship Rock Grill.

Speaking of famous, no tour of Colorado is complete without a stop at the Adolph Coors Brewery in Golden, the largest single-site brewery in the country. You’ll go on a self-guided, behind-the-scenes tour of this beer-making facility, and you’ll also be able to sample fine Coors® beer and their non-alcoholic products

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Tour 3 – Modern Day RailroadingTuesday, July 27, 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.Cost: $75 per person

The Denver Light Rail System has been a leader in 21st century commuter transporta-tion with its ever-expand-ing web of 35 miles of tracks across the metro area.

We’ll travel on our own private LCCA light rail train with tour guides on board. This quiet and reliable electric train will whisk you off to the Elati Maintenance Operation Facility for an insider’s view of how this mass transit system works. We’ll gather for lunch at the Wynkoop Brewing Com-pany, Denver’s first brewpub located in the famous LoDo (LOwer DOwntown) District of the city.

Your return trip will be as a public patron, and you can use your pass to travel straight back to the hotel or explore other parts of Denver. Your tour guide will help you plan your trip. NOTE: Tickets for this tour are very limited, so make your reservation promptly!

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Tour 1 – The UP/LCCA Steam Train SpecialMonday, July 26, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.Cost: Coach Seating - $149 per person Cost: Vista Dome Seating - $199 per personNotes: (1) Vista Dome seating is limited and assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Coach seating is assigned on the same basis with families and groups placed in the same car whenever possible. (2) Neither Union Pacific nor the LCCA can guarantee that the UP #3985 Challenger will be assigned for this trip at departure.

No-body does railroading – especially steam rail-roading – better than the Union Pacific! We’ve made this year’s trip even bet-ter. We will

assign seats (dome or coach) when registrations are received, and they will be car-specific. At Denver Union Station down-town, look for the car host holding the sign for your car and c’mon aboard! Families and friends will be seated together.

We’ll also have another commemorative piece available ONLY to those who take this trip. We’ve made a sensible change from 2006. Upon returning to our hotel at the end of the day, your special ticket will give you the right, but not the obligation, to purchase this very special item. This will avoid a long line-up on the train, and you’ll be able to fully enjoy the ride and the incredible photo run-by.

Come with us for a daylong adventure as we board the historic yellow cars of the famous UP Heritage Fleet for the ride of a lifetime from Denver straight north to Cheyenne. Pulling our train will be 3985, The Challenger – the largest operating steam locomotive in the world. Count on at least one photo run-by, plus a chance to tour the UP shops and roundhouse. We’ll have a great barbecue spread in Cheyenne before heading back to Denver by bus. This may well be your last opportunity to ride behind one of the most famous steam locomotives of all time.

Tour 2 – Rocky Mountain RailroadingTuesday, July 27, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.Cost: $90 per person

Head off into the mountains with this tour. We’ll stop at the famous Colorado Railroad Museum with acres of roll-ing stock, most of it peculiar to railroading in the mountains. The museum itself is in a replica of a 1880s-style depot, and it houses hundreds of old railroad photos, artifacts, and documents.


Tour 4 – Moonlight in the Mountains Dinner TrainTuesday, July 27, 4:30 – 10 p.m.Cost: $120 per person

A new attraction on the Colorado scene, you’ll depart from the Silver Plume station on your way to the Devil’s Gate aboard the Georgetown Loop Railroad and its classic steam locomotives. You’ll cross the famous 95-foot-high “loop” bridge that brings your train around a complete circle.

It may be understatement to say the mountain scenery at dusk will be spectacular. Enjoy your choice of four entrees at an elegant creek-side dining venue before starting your trip back up the line. NOTE: You’ll be at 8,500 feet elevation, so a light jacket or sweater will be useful.

Tour 5 - The Leadville, Colorado & Southern RailroadWednesday, July 28, 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.Cost: $114 per person

This is an-other new tour; it hasn’t been offered before by LCCA. After a scenic bus ride into the Rocky Mountains, you’ll board the Leadville, Colo-rado & Southern Railroad train in Leadville, the highest incorporat-

ed town in North America; it’s an awe-inspiring 10,500 feet above sea level! You’ll spend the next few hours climbing up the Arkansas River valley, where the vistas are breathtaking.

Five different exquisite box lunch choices will be part of your tour. Following your train ride you’ll have time to wander through this historic town and visit its quaint shops before heading back to Denver.

NOTE: Dress for a day in the mountains – bring a light jacket or sweater.

Tour 6 – Cheyenne Frontier DaysWednesday, July 28, 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.Cost: $115 per person

If you know rodeo, then you know all about Frontier Days, the “Daddy of Them All!” You’ll have a guided “be-hind-the-chutes” tour of the grounds and a chance to visit the Old West Museum. Afterwards, a catered Cowboy lunch will be served.

Then it’s on to this world-class rodeo – universally recognized as the biggest and best in the West. Experience ten rodeo events and three track acts before motoring back to Denver.

Tour 7 – The Royal Gorge RouteThursday, July 29, 6:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.Cost: $140 per person Cab Ride: Two seats awarded by lotteryNote: Two lucky tour participants will win a FREE cab ride in the locomotive.

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad is considered one of the most scenic railroads in the world. The tracks cross the famous Hanging Bridge, an engineering marvel that was built out over the Arkansas River because the narrow canyon does not provide “shelf space” for the rail bed.

You’ll ride 24 miles to the end of the line, return to the Incline Railroad, and ascend on it to the top of the canyon. Royal Gorge Park offers an entirely new perspective on the Gorge and the River. You’ll receive your choice of three dif-ferent gourmet box lunches and enjoy a scenery-filled return bus ride through Canon City and southern Colorado back to Denver.

Tour 8 – Georgetown Loop Railroad Day ExcursionThursday, July 29, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.Cost: $112 per person

Take a roundtrip ride on the Colorado Historical Society’s Georgetown Loop Rail-road between the towns of Silver Plume and Georgetown; both are authentic silver mine “boom towns” of the 1860s. A narrow gauge steam locomotive will take you up, over,

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Tour 11 – Mile High City TourFriday, July 30, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Cost: $76 per person

With the Rockies as a backdrop, Denver is one beautiful city! You’ll tour the downtown finance and busi-ness districts, visit revitalized parts of the old city, and see Denver’s 370-acre City Park, the LoDo District, Larimer Square, and the “Unsinkable” Molly Brown Mansion.

There’ll be a photo stop at Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies, and another at the Capitol Building. A special high-light is a tour of the U.S. Mint where you’ll see U.S. coins being made. No free samples, but we’ll throw in lunch at Maggiano’s Little Italy!

Photo Credits: Mary Nystrom – UP Steam Program, Denver Convention & Visitors Bureau, Colorado Railroad Museum, Georgetown Loop RR, City of Golden CO, City of Leadville CO, Cheyenne Frontier Days, Royal Gorge Route, Rocky Mountain National Park.

and around the world famous 95-foot-high steel bridge that makes a 360° turn! Your first stop will be for an outstanding Cowboy BBQ lunch at the Devil’s Gate Depot followed by a guided tour of the Lebanon Silver Mine for a first-hand look at early-day mining. Note: You’ll be in the mountains, so remember to bring a light jacket or sweater.

Tour 9 – Rocky Mountain HighThursday, July 29, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Cost: $95 per person

You’ll be hum-ming John Denver tunes all day as you travel through the mountains and up the spectacular canyon to world-famous Estes Park, gateway to the Rocky Mountain

National Park. Look for elk, deer, moose, and bighorn sheep.

Be prepared for “picture stops” along the way. Plus you’ll have a great buffet lunch and time to wander through the charming town of Estes Park.

Tour 10 – Rocky Mountain RepriseFriday, July 30, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.Cost: $83 per person

If you missed Tues-day’s tour or just didn’t get enough time at the famous Colorado Railroad Mu-seum, here’s your second chance.

The museum, housed in a replica of a 1880s-style depot, and acres of rolling stock will be yours to explore and photograph. The depot contains an impressive HO moun-tain-region operating layout. Red Rocks State Park and Amphitheater, one of Colorado’s most famous outdoor performing venues, will be on the schedule with a great lunch planned at the Ship Rock Grill.

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LCCA 2010 CONVENTION SCHEDULEDenver, CO July 25-31, 2010

Event Time Notes Sunday, July 25Registration Desk open Noon - 7 p.m. Denver Marriott Tech Center HotelBoard of Directors Meeting 2 - 9 p.m.

Monday, July 26 Registration Desk open 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. DMTCH LobbyTour #1: “LCCA Special” Excursion Run 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. BBQ Lunch in Cheyenne, WY

Tuesday, July 27 Registration Desk open 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. DMTCH LobbyTour #2: Rocky Mountain Railroading 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Lunch at Ship Rock GrillTour #3: Modern Day Railroading 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Lunch at Wynkoop BrewpubTour #4: Moonlight in the Mountains 4:30 - 10 p.m. Georgetown Loop RR Dinner Train

Wednesday, July 28 Registration Desk open 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. DMTCH LobbyTour #5: Leadville, Colorado & Southern 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. Box Lunch IncludedTour #6: Cheyenne Frontier Days 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Cowboy Lunch IncludedFirst-time Attendees Reception 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. DMTCH, Room TBALCCA Website Seminar 7:45 p.m. - 9 p.m. DMTCH, Room TBA

Thursday, July 29 Registration Desk open 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. DMTCH LobbyTour #7: Royal Gorge Route Excursion 6:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Gourmet Box Lunch IncludedTour #8: Georgetown Loop RR Excursion 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Cowboy BBQ Lunch Included Tour #9: Rocky Mountain High 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Buffet Lunch IncludedGet Acquainted Party 6 - 10 p.m. DMTCH, Room TBA

Friday, July 30 Registration Desk open 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. DMTCH LobbyTrading Hall Set Up 7 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. For Exhibitors OnlyTour #10: Rocky Mountain Reprise 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Lunch at Ship Rock GrillTour #11: Mile High City Tour 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Motor Coach with Guide on BoardLCCA Business Meeting 2 - 3 p.m. DMTCH, Room TBAJunior Members Fun Time 2 - 4 p.m. DMTCH, Room TBA, Details to FollowLionel Seminar 3 - 5 p.m. DMTCH, Room TBA Trading Hall open 6 - 9 p.m. For Members Registered at DMTCH

Saturday, July 31 Registration Desk open 8 a.m. - Noon DMTCH LobbyTrading Hall open 8 - 9 a.m. For Members Only Trading Hall open 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. For Members and the PublicTrading Hall take down 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. only New Requirement this YearLCCA Reception 6 - 7 p.m. DMTCH Ballroom LCCA Banquet 7 - 10:30 p.m. DMTCH Ballroom Convention Ends After the Banquet

Safe Travel Home! See you in Dallas – July 2011

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Lionel News & Viewsby Bill SchmeelkRM 6643

Lionel’s Animated GondolasThe year was 1957, when Lionel® introduced a unique

operating gondola car that featured a policeman chasing a hobo around a load of crates. The No. 3444 Animated Gon-dola was cataloged at $9.95 and was apparently a popular item. The very informative book, Authoritative Guide to Lionel’s Postwar Operating Cars, by Joseph P. Algozzini and Emanuel F. Piazza, published by Project Roar Publish-ing, documents several variations in the manufacture of the car that indicated more than one production run was made. The car remained in the catalog through 1959. Curiously, the car also appeared in the 1960 advance catalog with an increased price of $10.95, but was not offered that year in the consumer edition of the catalog. Additional information on the postwar version of this car can be found in the above- mentioned book.

Like several of Lionel’s late-50s accessories, the car was powered by the “snub and release” vibrator motor system first seen in 1956 to power both the Operating Lumber Mill and the Culvert Loader. This was the first time it was being used to power action on a piece of rolling stock. A similar system would later be used to power the Operating Aquarium Car.

Over the years, modern-era Lionel has also found this car to be a popular one and has issued the car in several different themes from circus, to Halloween, to Christmas and even a version for the Girl’s Train. Throughout its production of this car in the modern era, Lionel has changed the drive system for the car at least twice. We’ll look at three of the cars, each of which features a different drive system.

FundimensionsTM first reissued the car in 1980 as No. 9307 Animated Gondola shown in Photo 1. The reissue was very similar to the original in both looks and function. Fun-dimensions had not yet reissued the postwar bar-end trucks and used the 2400 series die-cast passenger car trucks that

were equipped with the necessary roller pickups. This truck was also used on many of the collector series illuminated cabooses of the day.

The single-piece crate unit on this and the original ver-sion was held in place with two large screws, visible on the top of the crate unit. Also visible was a steel lever protruding through the crates. This was used to turn power to the drive system on and off. Once turned on, the motor turned a spool that in turn powered a loop of 16mm film. To this film were attached, via “U” shaped metal pieces, the cop and the hobo. The “U” shape of the metal pieces allowed the crate unit to completely cover the mechanism. Photo 2 shows the car with the crate unit removed.

The car body was the familiar gondola, but with sub-stantial modifications. It had a much higher floor and a large opening to accommodate the drive mechanism. Part of the mechanism was hidden below this floor and the balance was concealed within the crate unit. The body is shown in the lower portion of photo 12.

Photo 3 shows the chassis of the car with the body removed. Here you can see the familiar vibrator motor and the on/off lever. The motor powered the spool on the left side of the photo. The spool on the right side was an idler and was sprung outward to keep tension on the film loop. The joint in the loop of film was sealed with the rivets used to attach one of the rubber men.

Photo 4 shows a bottom view of the car and the two roller pick-ups. According to authors Algozzini and Piazza, the ear-ly postwar version had only one pick-up roller. The second was added for more reliable operation, and Fundimensions

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also used two roller pick-ups in its reissue. Amazingly, this car was cataloged for five years, the last being 1984. Fundi-mensions did not incorporate some of the small modifications that postwar Lionel had made. These included embossing the bottom steel plate where the screws went through and enlarg-ing slightly the opening where the motor came through the floor of the body.

According to the postwar Lionel Service Manual, the car required nine volts to operate and at 14 volts would “begin to buzz loudly.” The car operated well in spite of the familiar buzz of the vibrator motor.

In 1982, Lionel offered a version of the animated gon-dola in the Traditional Series™. The 6-6201 Union Pacific Animated Gondola used the rubber-band-drive system that postwar Lionel had used on its Radar Car and the Television Monitor Car. In both of those cars power was transmitted from the axle to the shaft of the revolving unit by a rubber-band drive belt wrapped around both axles of the drive truck. I did not have this car to photograph, but Lionel soon offered an improvement on the rubber-band drive. Of all drive

systems, the rubber-band drive was the least reliable. Lionel apparently realized this and designed a much-improved mechanical drive system.

Lionel introduced the 6-11716 Lionelville Circus Special train set in its 1990 Book Two Catalog. This ready-to-run set included the Laughter Gondola that featured the same two rubber figures chasing each other around a load of crates. For this circus-themed car, the figures were painted as two clowns. Photo 5 shows this car.

This car featured an entirely new drive mechanism that required no electricity. Instead, the drive spool was driven by a set of gears connected to the spool and the axle of one

of the trucks. This gear set essentially replaced the rubber-band drive. Photo 6 shows a view of the truck that powered the action. The new worm-gear drive could easily be installed in a plastic truck and of course no motor was necessary, allowing the car to be produced and offered at a signifi-cantly lower cost.

This new version used a gondola that more closely resembled the standard version. The brake wheel

is part of the mold rather than being separately applied. The floor was not raised, and the un-dercarriage detail remained. No steel chassis was used. Modifications were made to the mold to provide

a means to fasten the crate load. Rather than the two screws, new plastic parts were designed and used the same screw holes on the unmodified crate unit. Photo 7 shows the crate unit and the special fastening pegs. The peg on the left is still installed in the unit, while the one on the right, along with its spacer ring, has been removed. By lifting these pegs from the top, the crate unit is easily removed. The crate unit itself was not modified from the postwar version and still had the slot for the on-off switch. In this new version the action was always on. Photo 8 shows the mechanism inside.

For the truck-driven mechanism to work properly, there must be as little friction as possible to the movement of the spool and belt assembly. The light weight of this new car required the addition of a steel weight located near the drive truck to ensure that the wheel and axle assembly would rotate and not slide as the car was pulled along the track.

The idler spool support was added to the car as a separate unit and cemented in place. This unit had a track in which the idler spool was mounted allowing it to slide back and forth. A compression spring supplied the force, pushed the spool towards the end of the car, and provided the neces-sary tension to the loop of film. The film loop on this model was spliced rather than being joined by rivets.

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As far as the merits of the two systems, one can argue good points for each. The new mechanism provided a less expensive car that operated silently. The motor driven unit, though noisy, could operate even if the train was in neutral and not moving and would operate correctly regardless of the direction in which the car was heading. If the train was backing up, the cop continued chasing the hobo. In the rede-

8 signed car, if the car was pulled in the wrong direction, the hobo would be moving backwards pursuing the backwards-running cop. With both cars, the speed at which the two pursued each other varied with volt-age on the track or the speed of the train. You pay your money and take your choice.

The third animated gondola we’ll look at offered yet another drive system to power the action. Lionel’s 2009 Volume II Catalog of-fered the 6-29894 Christmas Chase Gondola shown in photo 9. On this car, Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer was chased by an elf, Santa, and

Mrs. Claus around snow-covered crates of toys. Although not stated in the catalog ad, this gondola used an improved drive system operated by a DC can motor first introduced in 2005. Photo 10 shows the car with the crate unit removed. Photo 11 shows the crate unit that has been modified with shorter fastening tubes and shorter securing pegs. The slot in the top has also been filled in. The removal of two screws

allowed the gondola body to be removed. Photo 12 compares this body to the body used on the original 1980 reissue. Again we have the raised floor and the separately applied brake wheel returns. Additions have been made to provide holes into which the crate unit pegs were snapped.

Photo 13 shows the steel chassis and drive system with a drive spool powered by a DC can motor with a worm-gear drive. The idler spool was sprung in much the same manner as the mechanical version, but the spring

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was stronger. A circuit board rectified the AC track power to DC, filtered it with a capacitor, and also provided a voltage regulator to ensure a constant speed regardless of the speed of the train or voltage on the track. As long as the track voltage was above about six volts, the motor operated at the same speed. Photo 14 shows the underside of the car with two die-cast trucks, each with a roller pick-up. Notice also that the on/off slide switch was located here.

Just as postwar Lionel used the animated gondola system to later power the Aquarium Car, modern-era Lionel used its new DC motorized system to power newer versions of the Aquarium Car.

Three Ways to PlayWe tested all three versions

and found that each one was able to drive the film loop carrying the figures. Frankly, the most unreli-able one was the #9307 with the vibrator motor. I expected the loud buzz, but found that the belt would sometimes pause until there was an additional boost of power. One of the operating problems with the vibrator motor was that there’s an ideal voltage under which they work quite well. With an acces-sory and a variable power supply, you can adjust the voltage for the best operation. However, with the gondola, you are using a varying track voltage, and this will not always be at the best voltage for optimum operation of the vibrator motor.

The Laughter Gondola with its mechanical gear system func-tioned well, but some maintenance is required. The Lionel Instruction Manual stresses the importance of maintaining a smooth operation of the mechanism and suggests a small amount of lubricant on the drive gear. However, too much lubricant will attract dust that will increase the friction required to operate it. In time, this gear set required cleaning to remove any dirt or dust. Keeping the gear set clean and lightly lubricated ensured the best operation. This version got the highest score for silent operation.

Clearly the leader in this pack is the newest motorized version. While not as silent in operation as the mechanical version, it is

certainly quieter than the vibrator motor. This version also offers the advantages of constant speed regardless of varying track voltage and correct operation regardless of the direc-tion the car is moving. I often wonder what Lionel’s postwar engineers would think of today’s availability of inexpensive and dependable small motors.

For me, one of the big advantages of Lionel trains is their operating accessories and cars. The animated gondola is yet another example of train operation that you won’t see on a scale two-rail layout. The action of operating cars and accessories always attracts attention to an operating layout. So bring on more if it!

Photographs by Bill Schmeelk

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The Tinplate Cannonball

by Ken MorganRM 12231

Landscape by LionelI’m writing this column during the depth

of winter and looking out the window at the vestiges of the latest blanket of white left be-hind by Mother Nature. It is a bit of a stretch for me to think of when my fellow LCCA members will read this article; maybe in the spring when the wind chill will no longer be in the single digits. And in the spring, a young man’s fancy turns to … well, in my case, it used to be softball or baseball. Now it’s the lawn and shrubs.All about Landscaping

Since my thoughts always turn to Lionel® trains regardless of the season, I’ll combine the two and look at landscaping by Lionel. But first, just to warm up the little gray cells, here’s the usual trivia question. What do Roy Campanella, Joe Dimaggio, and Kenny Gardner have in common?

As I have noted many times, scale was not high on Lio-nel’s list of requirements. But the sale of follow-on products was. So after Junior received a set of trains, and then some more track, and more cars, and maybe another loco or two, it was time to add accessories. Eventually, it was even time to add scenery. How was this to be done if Junior’s layout was only sea-sonal, or occasional? We’re talking about a time well before the emergence of modular layouts. Leave it to Lionel to come up with an answer.Real Estate in Lionelville

Some time back, I described the housing for residents of Lio-nelville, which came in three sizes. For the budget conscious, whether

a resident of Lionelville or Junior’s parents or grandparents, there were the #184 and #185 bungalows. The difference was that only the former was illuminated. They came either lithographed or painted. See photo 1. It would be a real tight squeeze for the resident family, unless they were Z scale in-stead of O. Next up was the #189 villa. This was a significant

step up in size, and price. See photo 2. Last in order but first in opulence is the #191 villa (mansion). It’s a tad bigger than the #189, and it had a porch (?) or sunroom (?) or whatever. Looks like the room on the side of my family’s second house in which the oldest picture of yours truly playing with his first set of trains was taken many years ago.

But I digress. The #191 is shown in photo 3. Note that there are two major versions of both villas. They came either with or without dormers. The #191 does have another

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variation: like the bungalows, it can be either enameled or lithographed. Whether or not they have dormers or how they are decorated and in what colors does not seem to have affected prices then or now. But as a resident of Lionelville, I would have opted for the dormers so I could have built a layout in the attic and have both light and ventilation. Variations – Or Maybe Not

As another digression, I once contacted the TCA library about variations in decoration on the bungalow. I had found one with colors not listed in the TCA’s big book on prewar Lionel. The answer I received was that it was not likely unique. There were too many of them to list them all, and more were showing up all the time. Newer sources sort of say the same thing. Trying to collect all possible variations is even worse than attempting to get all the versions of #6464 boxcars. And if you add the fact that roofs are easily switch-able, well that’s why I said two or three versions of each: bungalows painted or lithographed (three, if you consider with or without lights although, obviously, they can be added or removed), and villas with our without dormers and either litho or enameled for the #191.

The #185 was obviously not a big seller. It was only catalogued in 1923 and 1924. All the others were catalogued from 1923 through 1932. Bungalows were sold individually or in boxed sets of five for an instant village. Villas were also offered individually, or in a boxed set with one of each, plus two bungalows. The original prices were: #184, $1.50; #185, $1.00; #189, $2.95; and #191, $3.35. These are the east-of-the-Mississippi prices. The western price difference gradually disappeared. In 1930, the prices rose slightly: $1.60, $3.10, and $3.50 (the #185 was long gone from the catalog). Litho versus Enamel

For whatever it may be worth, as I look at my catalogs through 1927, the individual bungalows and the #191 are al-ways shown as lithographed. But the bungalows in the boxed sets are shown enameled. In 1928, and later, the bungalow is only shown lithographed and the big villa is enameled. Again scanning my catalogs, the villas always seem to have

dormers. I will add a few caveats here; catalogs are notori-ously poor sources of definition for details like this. They are artist renderings, not pictures of actual production pieces. And the buildings are shown in other areas of the catalog (layout displays and early versions of various scenicked plots with combinations of pieces) which seem to show painted villas earlier, but some pictures are very small, so I hesitate to say that we should base any conclusions on this. One thing I will say, all the catalogs I have and pictures I have seen of the bungalows show that if the sides are enameled, so are the roofs. And if the sides are lithographed, so are the roofs. Hold that thought in mind for later.Landscaping, Big Time

In 1932, Lionel changed their approach and went into the landscaping business. The #184 bungalow was avail-able on the #913 “Illuminated Landscaped Bungalow.” The #189 villa came on the #912 “Illuminated Suburban Home” and the #191 villa was displayed on the #911 “Illuminated Country Estate.” How’s that for class distinction! Now based upon those descriptions, one might think that the plots would be of different sizes, but that was not the case. They were all 16 by 8 inches. All of them came with hedges on the front and sides, and some combination of trees, both decidu-ous and evergreen, plus bushes or shrubby things. A good imagination helps considerably when looking at them today compared to the scenery currently available for high-rail-ers. But for instant scenery in the 1930s, they were state of the art and made it very easy to add a great deal of detail to Junior’s layout.

Initially, landscaping didn’t seem to have been very expensive, and it reflected the residence: in 1933 the #913 was $2.75, the #912 was $3.50, and the #911 was $4.00. By 1936 and for the rest of production, the price was $4.00 for the bungalow plot and $4.75 for either of the other two.

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People might have been out of work then, but it appears that landscaping was more expensive regardless of the size of the home!Faux Foliage

Photos 4 and 5 show #913 and #911 respectively. Look-ing at these two pictures, one may believe the foliage was more luxurious at the estate, but a closer examination reveals that this is not the case. Both have three large deciduous tress and one smaller one, four shrubs, and two evergreens. The estate does have two small flowers by the walk. I was told by the original owner they were added, but I have another estate with them, so I’m not sure. One thing I will say – the bungalow version has a lot more yard to play in. The estate looks like the result of what I see a great deal of nowadays. Old small homes are knocked down and replaced by what I call McMan-sions. Was Lionel ahead of the real estate trend?

To go back to my earlier com-ment on the artwork in the catalogs, the depictions there do not seem to accurately represent the actual product. They are much too neat. Part of this is likely due to the aging of the extant examples I have seen, but part is likely due to the fact that as far as I can tell, the deciduous tress and the shrubs were handmade and planted. They seem to be cores of cord tied by thinner thread and wrapped in tape and then have foliage added. I don’t seem to see any two identical. The evergreens are more constant. They seem to come in two sizes: large loofah and small loofah. The shrubs may or may not have painted flowers, but again, that may be wear over the years.

Handmade Trees

Photo 6 shows some detail of the con-struction of the trees. Apparent-ly this particular country estate was hit by a hurricane and the trees have not yet recov-ered. Another observation: the placement of the trees on this estate does not match that on the other one, which strength-ens my case for the handwork involved in pro-

ducing these pieces. And while I think the number of each was constant, I cannot guarantee it. The landscaped plots ran through the last prewar catalog in 1942 and just looking at their placement in the catalogs during the last few years, it was leftover stock, which means variations were even more likely to occur.Bungalow Variations

Now remember I told you to hold a thought earlier. Go back to photo 1. There are two versions of the lithographed bungalow. Look closely at the sides. They are different. Ac-

tually, the sides shown are also the opposite sides of the other lithographed bungalow. Rears and fronts are the same. The four walls are separate pieces tabbed together, so left and right make no difference. Front and back do. There is no back door or portico. Again, I say lots of handwork. Now look at photo 4. That’s the bungalow on the plot. This is the one that I referred to the TCA. It’s lithographed, but the roof is enameled. And the roof is reversed left to right. The roof is easily replaceable, but the portico roof is not, without bending tabs, etc, and this shows no signs of that. And I often see the smokestack and dormer on the other side as here, except that it is always due to

the roof being put on backwards, which results in the stack being in front of the dormer. That is not the case on this example. I do not recall ever seeing another like this, but I haven’t seen them all. I have seen some in pictures. So while I assume the true reversed roofs are quite rare, they are out there. So my advice is, don’t sweat the variations other than lithographed or enameled, dormers or no dormers. Just go out and build a suburb.

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6


The LCCA-sponsored Chattanooga (TN) Area Train Show was held at the Catoosa Colon-nade in nearby Ringgold, GA, on Saturday, October 31, 2009. Although it was Halloween, there were no costumes or masks but lots of trains and many more treats than tricks.

LCCA members from LA, FL, KY, MI, AL, GA, and TN attended this show. President Al Kolis and Director Ed Richter represented the LCCA Board of Directors. They circulated through the crowd of members and guests, “talked trains,” and described the LCCA’s many advantages for train operators and collectors. After 10 a.m., guests, their significant others, and children arrived. A count of guests

and family attendees affirmed that this event was very well attended.

With 80 tables full of trains for sale or trade, two

action-filled operating layouts, and a test track, the show

provided lots of activity. In addition, two train-parts dealers as-sisted many train buffs who brought shopping lists for items needed to fix their trains.

Multiple door prizes were drawn

and presented to attendees at hourly intervals beginning at 10 o’clock. For convenience, 23 attendees ordered on site a catered box lunch from Chick-Fil-A. The meals were brought to the Trading Hall at 11:30.

Club members and co-hosts George Baltz and Ron Herman deservedly earned special recognition for their efforts. In addition, LCCA thanks Raymond Siler who handled the door prize drawings; Gwen Siler who handled the registration; and Jack Ellis who accepted the lunch orders, delivered the food back to the Trading Hall, and also placed the Train Show way-finding signs from the Parkway to the Colonnade.

Photographs by Ed Richter and Al Kolis

LCCA Members in Action

by Bill StittRM 259

Eating OutIf the residents want to go

out for dinner, you might want to add a diner. It can be found either on Main Street or in the catalog at #442. See photo 7. There were other, mostly much more expensive plots available, as well as spare parts. Lionel referred to the loofah evergreens as pine trees, the deciduous ones are allegedly oaks, and the shrubs are rose bushes. All were available for separate sale at your local purveyor of fine trains. Good luck finding them at the garden supply house!Price Variation

I won’t attempt to quote current prices for these accesso-ries. They seem to be all over the place in the current market. There are many repros available now, which may affect the price, although to the best of my knowledge, the scenic plots are only available as originals. Obviously, they are more subject to damage over the years than are the trains them-selves, if only by virtue of their fragility. I have seen prices

ranging from well over four figures down to roughly half that. Shop carefully. And note that the evergreens are available as repro

parts. I am not sure about the more esoteric oak trees and rose bushes.

The trivia answer – Campy

and Dimag are well known base-ball players in the Hall of Fame. Kenny

Gardner is a little tougher to place, but he will not be found in Cooperstown. He was the lead singer for Guy Lombardo’s Royal Canadians big band. All three could also have been found operating fairly extensive Lionel layouts in their homes. Coverage in the print media advertised that fact to Lionel’s benefit. Maybe I should have included another singer who did likewise. A guy named Sinatra.

See you next time along the rails of The Tinplate Cannonball!

Photographs by Ken Morgan

7

THE LION ROARS FEBRUARY, 2010IBC

A Lionel Puzzlementby Gene H. Russell, Ed.D.RM 24608

Name Game “Lionel,” pronounced LYE-a-nel, is a common first name that is of Latin origin meaning “Lion.” From the an-swer pool, select the correct surname to make a match with these noted “Lionels.” Enjoy!

Answers are published in TLR… somewhere.

A. BarrymoreB. BartC. CartwrightD. ConacherE. CowenF. DavidsonG. FriendH. Hampton

I. HollinsJ. HutzK. LebronL. MessiM. RitchieN. ShriverO. Trilling

Answer Pool

Questions1. Lionel “Big Train” _______ (1900-1954), one of Canada’s greatest all-around athletes and politician.

2. Michael William _______, popularly known as “Lionel” and a nationally syndicated radio talk show host.

3. Lionel _______, head coach of the NBA Memphis Grizzles.

4. Lionel _______, American country music singer and songwriter.

5. Lionel _______ (1908-2002), jazz vibraphonist, pianist, bandleader, and actor.

6. Lionel _______, English novelist of acclaimed spy thrillers.

7. Lionel Andres _______, Argentine footballer playing for Barcelona and considered to be one of the best players of his generation.

8. Lionel _______, internationally renowned orchestral and opera conductor.

9. Lionel _______, songwriter, member of The Commodores, and winner of numerous American Music Awards.

10. Lionel _______ (1878-1954), American actor of stage, radio, and film.

11. Lionel _______ (1905-1975), American literary critic, author, and educator.

12. Lionel _______, female American journalist and novelist whose The Post-Birthday World was Time Magazine’s Best Book of the Year 2008.

13. Joshua Lionel _______ (1877-1965), inventor and manufacturer of model railroads and toy trains.

14. Lionel _______ (1930-1999), writer and composer of British pop music and musicals; best known for creating the book, music, and lyrics for Oliver!

15. Lionel _______, unscrupulous ambulance-chasing lawyer on The Simpsons.

THE LION ROARS FEBRUARY, 20103435IBC

Order Form May Be PhotocopiedYELLOW WATER TOWER WITH BLINKING LIGHT — LIMIT: FOUR UNITS PER MEMBER

Once submitted, LCCA will consider this is a firm order and not refundable. Name: _________________________________________________________________ LCCA No.: ___________________Shipping Address: _____________________________________________________________________________________City: _____________________________________________________________ State: ____ Zip + 4: __________________Phone: (______) ______________________ e-mail: __________________________________________________________

DO THE MATH:[ ] ____ Yellow Water Tower(s) @ $34.99 ea. $__________ (Includes S&H to Continental USA)

[ ] Extended S&H to AK, HI, and Canada — add $5 ea. $__________

[ ] Extended S&H to all other foreign countries — add $10 ea. $__________

[ ] Minnesota residents: add 7.25% sales tax of $2.54 ea. $__________

Total: (in U.S. funds): $__________

Mail this order form to the best toy train club on the planet:LCCA Business Office • Dept YWT/TLR-02-10 • P.O. Box 4708 • St. Paul, MN 55104-0708

To order online: www.lionelcollectors.org — at the main page, click on “LCCA Store”

[ ] Check this box if any part of your address is new.

PURCHASE METHOD:[ ] My check is enclosed, made payable to “LCCA” with “YWT” on the memo line.[ ] Bill this purchase to my credit card account. No.: _______________________________________ Expiration: ____________ [ ] Discover [ ] MasterCard [ ] Visa Code: ________________

The 3 digits at the signature panel on back of your card

Signature: ________________________________________________________ By my signature, I authorize LCCA to charge my account for the amount shown according to the terms and conditions cited herein.

This limited-production item is currently in stock and ready for delivery to members, so there’s no waiting time for production. It’s a perfect gift for yourself, your favorite railroader, or junior members eager to have more cool stuff to put on an emerging layout. Every blink of the top light is a reminder of your thoughtfulness in providing a hobby-related gift. LCCA has a very limited number of this item remaining. Orders will be filled on a first-come, first served basis within 7-10 days of our receipt of your order. If we are unable to fulfill your order, your payment will be returned promptly. Fair warning: if you intend to re-ship these to others on your gift list, act now. Although this accessory has appeared in various Lionel® catalogs, this uncataloged version of a “mushroom” water tower designed by LCCA and made by the company has a slow-fade flasher unit on top. The yellow color is unique and quite a departure from black, grey, or white décor paint schemes traditionally applied to water tanks. The text surrounding the U.S. flag on the tank reads, “Land of the Free, Home of the Brave.” A self-adhesive Union Pacific decal is included in the box for use at your discretion. The feeder wires to the topside light are inside the base, so they can be completely hidden from view by drilling a hole through the layout platform. This is an ideal structure for use anywhere on your layout: in a town, an industrial district, or a railroad yard.

A Tall Drinkof Water


a lcca convention memory maker - lionel collectors

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